Best Over-Ear Headphones

Unlike earbuds, over-ear headphones cover your ears completely and allow larger drivers to provide more bass and a wider soundstage. Many of them also feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth technology.

The Master & Dynamic MW65 is updated with superior audio, multiple ANC modes, and a long battery life.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has made improvements to an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are lighter, better built, and have an audio profile that is more balanced (though bass heavy). They also include an app to adjust the sound. They've upgraded their active noise cancellation, eliminating the background noise and have a longer battery life.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, and Sony LDAC is also supported. The latter can transfer high-resolution music, but you'll need compatible devices and streaming services. The WH-1000XM4s also allows you to connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time and automatically switch between them as needed. You enable this feature through the Sony Headphones Connect app and it works very well.

The touch panels are more sensitive than the XM3. They respond faster to a tap on the panel, which makes them easier to control during calls or listen to media. Sony has added a feature to make voice calls more clear and precise during calls. This is an obvious and pleasant addition.

While the WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, they are some of the top wireless headphones we've ever tried. They're comfortable, well made, and have an outstanding battery that lasts more than 30 hours continuously. They can be used in a passive manner by using a TRS cable. This is ideal to travel with or for storing power.

The WH-1000XM4s are a better choice over the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC can block out more ambient noise. The B&Ws have an EQ that is more flexible, as well as an app companion to adjust the audio performance. However, the B&Ws have a better-built design, and they're able to pair with two Bluetooth devices at once. They also support aptX HD and feature an AI-driven engine which attempts to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme, and it enhances the clarity of music when listening to lossless audio files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headset that became a staple for commuters and travelers around the globe. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the new model retains the same formula that made its predecessor so popular, and adds USB-C, improved noise cancellation and a longer battery life.

These over-ear Bose headsets come with a premium feel and look, just like the QC 35 II headphones that preceded them. The headband, which is made of plastic, offers an incredibly solid feel due to the hinges made of steel at pivot points. They also have the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you retract or extend the ear cups. The cups are cushioned and feature soft pads that are comfortable to wear over your ears without putting pressure on your head. They weigh 238 grams and are fairly compact when folded. You can wear them when you're wearing a coat or sweater as the noise cancelling function works even when they are not on your Head Phone.

Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones however, the QC45s don't offer the best sound at this price. The frequencies are dull and lack the details that headphones with higher prices might be able to bring out. The upper registers are amplified which is fine for most music genres but can be problematic for more delicate and intricate genres. The bass is good, head phone but is lacking power.

The ability to pause the playback after removing the headset is a feature that's not available. This is a feature that Bose's rivals have offered for years. Another oversight is the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose offers preset EQ settings in the app, but it would be nice to have a manual control.

You can connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth 5.0 with multipoint support as well as more advanced codecs such as aptX Adaptive. Download the Bose Audio App to adjust your headset's voice and sound settings.

The QC45s come with four built-in microphones that pick up your voice during calls. The quality of calls is generally good but the headphones don't come with the handy capability to muffle your voice while playing back which is something that other wireless headphones do. Update: A firmware update for the QC45s came out in February 2022 added manual EQ options to the audio app. This is a great upgrade.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio company that makes high-performance headphones. They are well-known for their style and comfort that let listeners know that they're listening to something special. Their first foray into wireless headphones that block noise The Bathys, are stunning cans that look and sound amazing. They have a high-performance USB DAC built in, which means you can use them both for wired and studio wireless headphones listening.

The Bathys are very efficient in terms of battery performance, with Focal claims of 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got a bit more with more than 40 hours on average of a single charge. If you are required to charge the headphones in the future, the indicator light on the right earcup will go red.

They come with a wide range of features for a pair of headphones of this price point with support for multiple devices simultaneously and automatic pairing (though you'll have to select the source device each time you need to listen). They also have a built-in mic that can be used to control voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones come with an easy-to navigate interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

For wireless blutooth headphones headphones that are over-ear The Bathys are very good in our tests of noise cancellation, which reduces the ambient sound by about 9 decibels in average. They aren't as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 Wireless but it's still very effective.

In our tests of headphone sound quality The Bathys performed well overall with an overall frequency response that is in line with the SoundGuys headphone preference curve, with only minor deviations in the bass and mids. They have a bass-rich sound profile that adds a lot of boom to the mix, however, it can make vocals and instruments like cymbals seem a bit veiled.

They also have very good leakage resistance, meaning you can wear them in public without worrying about others hearing your music. Their mic has passable quality of recording via Bluetooth with only a slight distortion in the mid to treble range.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new update of the company's top Bluetooth headsets. The previous model, called the Momentum 3, was a solid but unspectacular entry in the class. The latest pair is an improvement on the previous model, featuring a sleeker look, improved gesture control and a massive battery life.

A lot of the improvements here are subtle but they add up to make a pair that seem like a step up from the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with a hardshell case that protects them while on the move. The Momentum 4s are non-device-specific, similar to other Bluetooth headphones from recent times, like those from Bowers & Wilkins and Sony. This means they can work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, however they don't have the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked Spatial Audio) that you'll find on the AirPods.

The most obvious difference in this model is the huge battery, which promises up to 60 hours of playback with noise cancellation activated. This is easily twice as much as most of the competition and enough to go on a long-distance trip without having to search for an outlet.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget The headphones were rated by Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget an 82 percent score. He highlighted their audio quality and ANC features as strengths. The only issue he has is they lack gravitas in mids and the treble. This means that orchestral pieces sound flat, not grand. The bass is well-rounded however it can be overemphasized, which can lead fatigue in songs that have heavy bass lines, like the drum hits of As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound smoky rather than full, and there's no real sense of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are not designed to place pressure on your neck or ear. They can be a bit fidgety if you wear them at home or during long listening sessions. They can move on your head and make intense head movements. This can cause them to wake up unexpectedly, which can be distracting while listening to music or making calls. They stop automatically after 15 minutes and can be shut off manually using the power button.